Muggleborns and Mudbloods
by EvenBirdsNeedToLearnHowToFly
Summary: Sirius doesn't know that Mudblood is a nasty word until he calls Lily it to her face. In front of all of Slytherin and Gryffindor.


**So, yeah. Hi again. I know I'm meant to be working on the weeping angel but this was already written for an English assignment a few weeks ago. All it took was some editing and the removal of my teacher's sarcastic comments telling me how I was a disgrace to mankind. To be fair, my grammar was awful, even for my standards. I don't own Harry Potter or anything to do with it. So yeah enjoy, or don't, it might be terrible. **

James and Sirius sat on a bench at the Gryffindor table in the great hall. "What lessons do we have today?" James asked, pulling a plate of bacon closer to him as he reached for his fork. "Transfiguration, followed by herbology and then…" Sirius trailed off as he looked at his timetable. "Earth to Sirius?" James asked, snapping him out of his trance, "What do we have last?"

"Double potions," A grim faced Sirius replied, "With the snakes."

"Ah. Snivellus."

"It's not Snape I'm worried about."

"Who could be worse tha… Your family."

"Got it in one Jamesy boy. Thanks to my Mother and father insisting that I be a social child and follow proper '_decorum_', there isn't a Slytherin in our year who I haven't met before or who won't know my family. Minus Slime ball of course. And after the sorting ceremony, I don't think they will be very pleased."

"Well who cares what they think? You are in Gryffindor because you are a kind, goodhearted, mischievous person and no matter what you know that they can't take that away from you."

Yes, James. But you're a Potter. A Potter and a Black. Your mum isn't going to be happy that you made friends with me and my mum isn't very happy with anything, as you heard the other day." Sirius said, referencing to the other morning when the post came. The large Black family eagle had come soaring in through the ornate windows, and instead of heading towards the Slytherin table as it would ordinarily, it came swooping down towards where Sirius, James, Remus and Peter were sitting. Carrying a large, smoking, red envelope. Despite Sirius' best efforts, the howler had burst open and his mother's shrieks erupted out at 100x their normal volume.

"_**SIRIUS ORION BLACK! YOU ARE A DISGRACE TO OUR FAMILY AND OUR NAME! HOW DARE YOU CHOSE GRFFYINDOR? THE MUDBLOOD'S HOUSE. YOU SHOULD HAVE TAKEN YOUR PROPER PLACE AT THE HOUSE FIT FOR SOMEONE WITH YOUR NAME, NOT FROLICKING AROUND SOCIALLISING WITH THE TYPE YOU FIND IN THAT PATHETIC EXCUSE FOR A HOUSE. YOUR FATHER IS FURIOUS, YOU'VE DONE IT NOW BOY, DON'T BOTHER COMING HOME. BELLATRIX SAID SHE SAW YOU RUNNING AROUND WITH THE POTTER BOY. GOD HELP YOU IF THAT'S TRUE. STOP ANY AND ALL RELATIONSHIPS WITH ANY UNNAPROPIATE COMPANY AT ONCE. YOU HAVE 1 WEEK TO TRANSFER TO SLYTHERIN BEFORE I COME UP THERE AND MAKE YOU! NEXT YOU'LL BE MAKING FRIENDS WITH WEREWOLVES. ONE WEEK, BOY!"**_

"If she finds out that I am still friends with you then the consequences won't be pleasant. It'll be bad enough when she finds out I have no intention whatsoever of moving houses; I have no doubt that she will come up here and demand to Dumbledore that I move. Hopefully he won't let the bitch get away with it."

"We won't let her move you, even if Dumbledore can't stop her. There's no way I'm letting you go to the snakes. And how is she going to find out? It's not like you're going to tell her."

"Spies, James, Spies," Sirius replied softly before leaning in and whispering, "Eyes and ears everywhere… Anyway" he said suddenly, his voice back to normal, "time for lessons." He vaulted over the bench and, pulling James with him, walked out of the hall. _

Later that day, a dark green sludge like potion was starting to boil over a cauldron as James and Sirius gawked confusedly at the book. "I don't understand. I really don't understand. We followed every instruction down to the finest detail and still failed. Mom always says the reason I can never get things right is because I don't follow the instructions, but hey I guess she's wrong."

Seeing Slughorn trudging his way in their direction both boys pulled away from the potion. It was probably for the best. The second Slughorn got close the whole potion and cauldron exploded, splattering the room in green slop. It went everywhere, the walls, the floor, the ceiling. About ninety percent of Slughorn's waistcoat was forest green, rather than his customary brown tartan pattern. Sirius, quickly recovering from the shock, turned to Slughorn, "I must say sir, that colour really brings out your eyes."

"OUT! Everybody out! I will get Mr Filch in later to clean up this mess. Come on now, everybody out." Professor Slughorn snapped to his senses at Sirius' comment and started directing the first years out of the room. "Back to your common rooms now children, go and have a shower, wash all this mess off of you. There doesn't seem to be any harmful effects but any symptoms and straight to Madam Pomfrey. Don't want anyone growing wings or something now, do we?"

"You know Sir, that actually sounds quite fun. Zooming around the great hall with…"

"Out, Mr. Black! You can fantasize in your own time."

As the children traipsed out of the classroom and back towards their respective common rooms, Lily and Marlene were walking a couple of paces behind the 4 boys. As Sirius was walking, he started to tune out of the conversation happening around him and started to listen to what the 2 girls were saying.

"Honestly, its typical. Just typical. I've never touched a potion in my life before today and mine went perfectly yet the 2 boys that grew up in magical families couldn't even manage a simple boil potion!"

Sirius, curious, turned around to check where the voice was coming from and became even more curious once he realised it was Lily. "Oh, Lily, you're a mudblood?"

Everything stopped. Slytherins and Gryffindors alike turned and stared at Sirius; the Gryffindors in horror and the Slytherins in glee. Lily looked at Sirius tearfully before running off, back towards the portrait hole as the Slytherins began to jeer and laugh. "SIRIUS!" James chastised, as Marlene gave one last shocked stare towards Sirius before chasing after her friend. "What the hell?"

"What?" Sirius asked, confused at why everyone was staring him. He hadn't said anything offensive, he only asked if Lily was a mudblood and everyone said that didn't they? It was an everyday word at his house and whilst it wasn't in the nicest context, there was nothing wrong with the word itself, was there?

"You don't say that to people! That's a horrible word and a very nasty term for a muggleborns!" James explained, quickly catching onto what had happened. "Muggleborn?" Sirius asked, confused as to why he had got such a reaction to a simple word.

"Someone born to muggle parents and who is not aware of the existence of witches and wizards before getting their letter."

"But isn't that a mudbl…Mmhhhh!" Sirius was cut off as James slapped a hand across his mouth. "Don't say it again!" He hissed, "Look Sirius, that's a very nasty word. I can't believe you didn't know it was offensive!"

"Well, that's what you get growing up in a family like mine. I'm sorry though James, I didn't mean to upset her, I genuinely thought that was what you called muggleborns."

James smiled at his response, noting how he was already trying to make up for his mistake. "It's okay Siri, but I'm not the one who you need to apologise to."

"I know."

* * *

The next morning, Sirius apologised to Lily. He had tried the night before however Lily had refused to come out of her dorm, even for tea. After the situation was explained to her she accepted his apology and apologised to him as well for reacting as she did without knowing the full story. All was well in Gryffindor.


End file.
